How to Play a Hard 16 in Blackjack

Blackjack has hundreds of years of history and has been one of the most popular casino games in the world almost from day one. In this article, we’ll discuss how to overcome one of the worst hands in the game: a hard 16.

Of all the hands to land in this popular table game , a hard 16 is the most regrettable for blackjack players. There are a few reasons why. First, a 16 is too high to hit comfortably. You have a limited number of cards that can increase your hand without making you bust. If you don’t land a three, four or five, you’re bust and lose automatically. Unfortunately, a 16 is also too low to stand on. Both the dealer and other players are more likely to have a better hand, so your odds of losing are much higher than your odds of winning.

So, what should you do? Aside from splitting if you have a pair of eights, you’ll have to take your chances with one of the strategies we discuss below. Let’s take a look at some blackjack hard 16 tips to help you play the odds as best you can in your next live casino game.

What is the difference between a soft 16 and a hard 16?

There are two kinds of hands in blackjack: hard hands and soft hands. Hard hands include hard numbers with no flexibility. An example of a hard hand is a two card plus a three card, equalling a hand total of five. The two and three in the hand are never going to be valued at anything other than a two and three. Soft hands are different in that they allow players some flexibility in value. That’s because they contain an ace, which can be played as both one or 11 depending on player needs.

Surrendering on a hard 16

With most hands, there is a lot of strategy that goes into standing, hitting or doubling. Unfortunately, none of these matter too much with a blackjack hard 16. The hand is likely to go bust if you hit, but it’s too low of a number to stand on. The best option when dealt a hard 16 is simply to surrender if possible. If surrendering is not available at the table, you’ll need to stand or hit depending on the dealer’s upcard.

Standing on a hard 16

Do I stand with a hard 16 in blackjack? We get that question a lot here at LeoVegas, and we understand why. The hand is an unfortunate one all round! Standing with a hard 16 isn’t ideal because a hand worth 16 is weak. You are almost guaranteed a loss. With that said, there are a few things you can do to improve your chances.

If you can’t surrender and the dealer has a four, five or six, you can try standing. Those upcards are terrible for the dealer and put them at higher odds of busting, which is essentially the only way to win with a hard 16.

Hitting on a hard 16

In blackjack, hitting hard 16s is risky. Anything higher than a five and you’re bust, so the cards are stacked against you. With that said, when the dealer has a seven, eight or nine, you can try hitting because the dealer has a better chance of landing a 16-21 than going bust. This means that standing is almost a guaranteed loss – hitting is your last-ditch effort to win.

Probabilities of success with a hard 16

Now that we know what to do with a hard 16 in blackjack, let’s take a look at some of the odds behind the strategies.

The most effective strategy when playing a hard 16 is to surrender. This might not be what you want to hear, but if at all possible, surrender and salvage half your stake. If you can’t surrender, you’ll need to either stand or hit.

Hit on a hard 16 against a seven or higher dealer upcard. The dealer here is likely to have a hand of at least 17, so you’ll likely lose outright if you stand. Hitting gives you a slim chance to increase your hand with a four or five, and it’s worth a shot if you can’t surrender.

Stand on a hard 16 when the dealer has an upcard from two to six. They are more likely to bust with these upcards, and standing puts you in a position to win if that happens. Take a look at the chart below for more detailed information about the odds behind standing and hitting with a hard 16.

Blackjack Strategy Table